(I Won't Say) I'm in Love
by Juliet Riversong
Summary: In which Aurora tries to get Maleficent to admit that she loves Diaval. Maleval one-shot inspired by a song.


**AN: So, I've seen "Maleficent" twice now and I loved it even more the second time! I totally think Diaval and Maleficent would be great together. Although I'm glad they didn't make them TOGETHER together in the movie (even if they did give a lot of adorableness between the two), I still ship it!**

**Also recently, I got "I Won't Say (I'm in Love)" from Hercules on my iPod, and I've started to imagine Maleficent as Meg and Aurora as the Muses, talking about Diaval. So, I just HAD to write this.**

**The lyrics are in there! Almost all of them are edited, and some are cut out to better fit the circumstances, but if you read closely, they're there!**

**Enjoy!**

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The blonde teenage girl happily walked through the woods, nearing her final destination.

It's been over a year since Maleficent woke her from the sleeping curse, and things have been quite peaceful between the humans and faer people.

Aurora has been a fair and compassionate Queen, loved by nearly all her subjects. There are still some who believe in her father's ways, but even they are coming around.

Every month or so, Queen Aurora would leave the castle to go visit her godmother in the Moors. She enjoyed spending time with the horned faery and Diaval, who is as much her guardian as Maleficent.

Speaking of the two of them, even though they bicker quite like an old married couple, Aurora can see that the raven makes her godmother happy and vice versa.

He's also quite adept at knowing what Maleficent is thinking or feeling, which at times can be hard for even Aurora, who the faery is usually open with.

Maleficent deserves to be loved, and Aurora thinks Diaval is the man to do it. She can certainly tell that those two are fond of each other.

As she passed the border into the Moors, Aurora picked up her pace, eager to see the two people she loved most in the world.

"-and you be safe," she heard Maleficent say.

Curious, but not wanting to give away her position, Aurora crept closer and hid behind a tree.

"As you wish, mistress," replied Diaval, bowing. "I'll be back as quick as possible," he added, straightening up and smiling at her.

"Begone, silly bird," she responded sternly, but a smile and twinkling eyes gave away her true thoughts on him.

With a wave of her fingers, Diaval was transformed into a handsome raven. Perching on her shoulder, the bird nuzzled her cheek before flying off.

Maleficent watched him go with a small smile on her face.

Aurora grinned and stepped out from behind the tree, making it seem as though she were just arriving. "Hello, Godmother!"

Turning to see Aurora, Maleficent's gentle smile remained as she greeted her Queen. "Hello, beastie. I didn't realize you were coming today."

Aurora walked over and stepped into the faery's outstretched arms, wrapping her own around Maleficent's waist. Her wings came around to tighten the hug.

"Is anything wrong?" she asked, curious (although not at all unhappy) as to why her beastie decided to come for a visit.

Maleficent folded her wings behind her again so she could hold Aurora at arms length and examine her face.

"Not at all. I just wanted to come and see you and Diaval," she reassured. Then, making a point to look over Maleficent's shoulder and all around so as not to arouse suspicion that she was watching them before, she added, "Where is he, anyway?"

"He's carrying out a task for me. He'll be back soon enough," answered the older woman. "Come, sit."

When they were both seated comfortably on a log, Aurora turned to Maleficent. "Godmother, may I ask you something?"

"You just did, beastie," retorted Maleficent, humor in her gaze.

Aurora laughed. "I meant something else."

"Of course."

"Are you in love with him?"

Relaxed posture quickly becoming stiff, Maleficent masked the high confusion and sadness threatening to make itself known. "Am I in love with _who_?"

"Diaval," Aurora replied calmly, searching her face for any sort of reaction.

Maleficent remained calm on the outside, raising an elegant eyebrow. "What in the _world_ makes you think that, child?"

"You'd be surprised, actually."

Maleficent sighed, dreading the conversation already. "No, I don't love him," she said firmly.

"Why not?" Aurora asked, her eyes shining with sadness for the horned faery across from her.

"If there were a prize for rotten judgement, I would have already won it. I've learned that no man is worth the aggravation-"

"-Technically, Diaval isn't actually a _man_..." interrupted Aurora. At Maleficent's glare, she quieted.

"But that's ancient history that you need not concern yourself with," she finished, standing up. Her wings twitched in slight annoyance.

"Who are you trying to fool, Godmother? He's the earth and heaven to you! You can try to keep it hidden, but I can see right through you!" argued the blonde-haired, blue-eyed girl.

"You can't conceal it. I know what you're feeling and who you're thinking of!"

"No chance, no way. I won't say it, because it's not true. It's much too cliché," Maleficent objected, turning away from the young woman. Aurora stood up as well so she could see a bit of her face.

"My heart has learned it's lesson. It feels good when you start out, but that doesn't last," said Maleficent, her wings fluttering at the horrid memory. Aurora sighed sadly, knowing she was talking about what her father did to the faery.

"You _know_ he's nothing like my father, Godmother!" protested Aurora. Diaval would treat her fairly and with the utmost respect (which she deserves).

Maleficent looked down, knowing this to be true.

"If you keep denying what you're feeling, it won't turn out well for either of you! Whenever you talk to him, I see you hit the _ceiling_," said Aurora, her voice becoming gentle.

"Face it like a grown woman. When are you going to realize that you've got it bad?" she finished, a teasing lilt coming to her words.

"I'm not saying it...," said Maleficent, her hand involuntarily coming up to finger a feather that Diaval gave to her when it fell off him. She smiled.

"Just give up and give in. Check your smile: you're in love!" Aurora said happily, her mood affected by her godmother's reaction.

Maleficent quickly let the smile drop. "I won't say it."

"Come _on_! You're practically doing flips just _thinking_ about him! Read my lips! You are in _love_!" Aurora persisted, coming to stand in front of the other woman. She could sense that she was coming close to convincing the stubborn faery.

Looking off to the side, Maleficent refused to meet the younger woman's gaze. "You're way off base, beastie."

_She_ must _be in love_, thought Aurora. _Otherwise she wouldn't be reacting this way._

"Now, leave me alone, insufferable child," Maleficent added, looking back at the girl. "It's not true."

"Godmother, _please_," Aurora said desperately, grabbing both of Maleficent's hands in her own, "Don't be proud. Being in love is a _good_ thing." She was speaking softly, begging the other woman to admit that she loved Diaval and to allow herself to be happy.

Maleficent sighed and looked into the pleading eyes of her beastie. Then, she thought of Diaval.

She thought of the more silly qualities he possessed. His cheeky comments, his teasing complaints, the light banter exchanged between the two. This prompted a slight turn up at the corner of her ruby-red lips.

Then, she thought of his serious qualities. How he rarely ever _actually_ complains, his compassion in areas where she lacks it, his unwavering loyalty to her. These thoughts evolved the powerful faery's almost non-existent smile into a gentle one.

Seeing the smile on her godmother's lips made one appear on Aurora's face as well.

"At least, out loud, I won't say I'm in love."

At this, Aurora's small smile blossomed into a full-blown _beam_. Giggling, Aurora pulled Maleficent in for a hug, sighing contentedly.

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**(Sorry if they're OOC, it's my first time writing these characters.)**

**Welp, there you have it, folks! Just a short and sweet one-shot! It may turn into something more (doubtful), but for now I'm listing it as completed.**

**Send me a review if you've got the time! I'd love to hear what you guys think!**

**Btw, if you were confused by the title of the story and the title of the song: the song has "I'm in Love" in parenthesis, but I thought it more fitting to put "I Won't Say" in parenthesis since she does actually love him and it takes her the whole story to admit it.**

**Ta-ta for now!**


End file.
